As of this morning speculation has turned into reality, as the publisher has revealed that a new Quantum and Woody series, written by James Asmus with art by Tom Fowler and Jordie Bellaire, will debut this summer with a cover by Ryan Sook and a variant cover by Marcos Martín. And, to the relief of many, Valiant has already promised there will be a goat.

Originally created by writer Christoper Priest and artist MD Bright, Quantum and Woody served as both a spoof of the black guy/white guy buddy cop genre of the '80s (specifically Lethal Weapon) and of superhero comics in general. Starring best friends and adopted brothers Eric and Woody Henderson, the series was a huge critical success for Valiant when the publisher was at the very height of its popularity in the '90s. As such, a return of the beloved superhero duo, whose stories were largely comedic but would also occasionally take a more serious tone, will be a welcome one for fans.

From Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons:

"Quantum and Woody are one of the most beloved superhero duos in comics. There's a rich history to draw on here and we have some very exciting things on deck for Quantum and Woody in 2013 and beyond."

While this relaunch will no doubt further ingratiate the publisher with many readers, the biggest hurdle for Asmus and Fowler will be meeting high expectations. This is a series that is deeply associated with former writer Priest, particularly the blend of humor and occasional earnestness he often made look so effortless. With Priest seemingly having left the comic industry behind for good, Asmus in particular will be going up against the memory of a writer whose body of work many fans remember very fondly. So while this announcement is happy news, the new team is almost certainly aware that, fair or not, this series will inevitably be measured against its predecessor by many.

That said, Asmus and Fowler seem capable of making this a success, if previous work and words from the writer and artist are any indication. And Asmus' enthusiasm certainly doesn't hurt:

"In all of comics, there's no other book that mixed style and substance quite like Quantum and Woody. I was willing to literally kill someone for the chance to write the relaunch for the new Valiant Universe. I might have. Those first days after I got the call are a blur. But Quantum and Woody isn't (just) a superhero book – it's action-comedy, it's family drama, it's a boys-meet-goat tale that tugs at the heartstrings."

Valiant is also doing its best to help the cause in terms of finding creative ways to promote the book that fit with the original series' lighthearted theme. The first issue will feature a cover by Sook; a variant cover by Marcos Martín; for those who pre-order the book through their local retailer, an incentive variant by Andrew Robinson; and an interactive QR Voice Variant by series artist Tom Fowler which will, according to the Valiant, feature "real talking goat action!" I confess I am not entirely certain what that means, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to find out.